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Saint Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis – Archdeacon Isaiah Phillip has been appointed to the Board of the Regional Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Regulatory Commission, known as the Caribbean Interim Regulatory Commission (IRC). This significant step comes as Caribbean nations offering Citizenship by Investment Programmes have united to establish a regional regulator, a move formalized in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) published in March 2024.

The IRC is tasked with setting standards and regulating CBI programmes in line with international best practices, ensuring compliance and monitoring within the industry. The countries that signed the MOA include Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis, and Saint Lucia.

The commission is composed of professionals from various sectors, ensuring a broad range of expertise without direct involvement in the administration or promotion of CBI programmes. The eight-member IRC includes:

Antigua and Barbuda – Lieutenant Colonel Edward Croft (Deputy Chair)

Commonwealth of Dominica – Ambassador Francine Baron

Grenada – Ms. Julia Lawrence

Saint Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis – Archdeacon Isaiah Phillip

Saint Lucia – Mr. Evaristus Jn Marie

CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS)/Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC) – Mr. Rufus Ferdinand

Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission – Mr. Henith Gabriel

Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) – Mr. Timothy Antoine (Chair)

The IRC will operate as a technical working group until the first Board of the regional regulator is appointed. Its initial responsibilities include overseeing the preparation of enabling legislation and facilitating public consultations to support the legislative framework’s enactment. The IRC convened for its first meeting on September 24, 2024.

Once established, the regional CBI regulator will function as a separate legal entity, distinct from the ECCB, with the aim of being fully operational in the latter half of 2025.

Notably, Archdeacon Isaiah Phillip is also the father of Minister Senator Isalean Phillip, highlighting the family’s continued involvement in public service and governance in St.Kitts and Nevis .